Locking mechanism for doors



Feb. 17, 1942" J, w SHANNON r 2,273,149

LOCKING MECHANISM FOR DOORS Filed NOV. 12, 1940 FIG; Z

15 INVENTR: Jzmeslfl Shannon, Louis fiailza way 4 Jizmesflli fiie ATTORNEYS.

great care in installation,

Patented Feb. 17, 1942 LOCKIN G MECHANISM FOR DOORS James W. Shannon gleside, Tex., and ton, Del.

and Louis M. Hathaway, In- James E. McKee, Wilming- Application November 12, 1940, Serial No. 365,226 2 Claims. (Cl. 292-182) This invention in its broader aspects has reference to securing mechanism for doors, furniture drawers and analogous movable units.

More particularly, the present improvements relate to devices adapted for locking aligned doors to an intervening jamb such as the side doors of automobiles, passenger cars and so forth, and wherein it is highly desirable that they be firmly held against accidental or deliberate opening by occupants while the automobile or car is in motion.

More specifically the P esent improvements have reference to devices of the type operative to automatically lock the rear doors of four-door automobiles or other cars when the front ones are closed, so that said rear doors cannot be accidentally or otherwise opened until the front ones are released.

Devices of the species referred to in the preceding paragraph while effective in use are mostly of complicated construction; involve a specially-shaped coactive lamb or center Dost; comprise numerous essential parts; and require with attendant ei'ipenditure of much time and labor.

The primary object of this invention is to furnish a locking device for the above specified purpose that includes but few cooperative parts; which is positive in action; is adapted for application to all standard typesof four-door cars, whether new or old and is capable of installation in a minimum of time with resultant saving of labor and expense.

Another object is to provide a door locking device of the indicated species which can be applied to the center post of all types of four-door ceding, showing the or with the rear-door locked, and an added wear automobiles and cars, or to individually movable adjoining drawers and similar units, without damaging, defacing or altering the shape or conventional section of the respective doors and .center post.

views; while the concluding claims more. particu-.f

larly define the features ofnovelty over the prior art.

wall by diametrically opposed screws forward side of In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a, horizontal section through. a fourdoor automobile Jamb or center post with the locking device of this invention assembled and secured therein; said section being taken approximately on the plane II in Fig. 4.

Fig. 2 is a plan-section on the line IIII of Fig. 4, with an adjunctive striker socket fitted in the rear door edge confronting the center-post, and with said door un-locked.

Fig. 3 is a corresponding section to the preparts in a different position plate fitted in the rear side edge of the frontdoor.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary face elevation of the the center-post, or as approxi mately seen when looking from the left towards the right-handof Fig. 1, such elevation being drawn in a plane at right-angles to "said figure.

Fig. 5 is a, detail section onthe plane VV of Fig. 2. I

Fig. 6 is a similar of Fig. 3.

In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of this invention, shown by the single sheet of illustrative drawings, specific terms will be employed for the sake of clarity, but it is to be understood that such terms are used in a descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, each specific term being intended to include all technical equivalents'which operate in a similar manner to accomplish an analogous purpose.

In accordance with section on th plane VI-VI this invention, and referring to Figs. 1 to- 6 of the-drawing, the improved car rear-door locking device, therein shown, preferably comprises a tubular casing I having an end wall 2 provided with a concentric aperture 8, and, at the other end,.an angle-section surrounding flange 4 for seating reception in the corresponding diameter recess 5 of a rectangular plate 6, and rigid attachment thereto by diametrically opposed screws 1. The plate 6 is also provided with a centrally located rectangular orifice 8, for a purpose later on set forth, and is attached to the center-post cross 6' Slidably fitting the bore 9' of the casing 'I' is a tubular member or plunger IIi embodying at one end an outwardly-directed rectangular-section latch I I having a rounded vertical edge I2 and inclined face I3, for passage through a registering rectangular hole It in the adjoining wall of the center-post I5 and abutting coaction with '.to the plunger I by 'into a longitudinal slot outer end ofthe plunger latter inwardly of and its rounded end ing the front door noteworthy that when the plun er latch of a relatively reciprocative plunger I9 engages;

although not essentially, the plunger III is cylindrical, and in the bore I8 theresaid plunger I! being preferably of round section and restrained againstrotation, with respect a set-screw 20 latter and projecting freely 2I .in the former. vThe I9 is suitably rounded or shaped at 22 for operative engagement with the confronting edge wall 23 of the rear door 24, while said plunger is reciprocative through a hole 25 in the adjoining wall of the center-post I5. It is to be here noted thatthe plunger I9 is of a length adapted for installation of the locking device in the widest center-post of standard cars, so that its outer endmay be cut-oil and shaped as at 22, as required for center-posts of narrower dimensions lengthwise of the automobile or car. If desirable a wear-plate 26 may be secured in the front-door side wall I8 as by screws 21, Fig. 3;twhile a well or bolt-socket 28 can be similarly attached, by screws 29, in the rear-door end wall 23, as clearly understandable from an examination of Figs. 2, 3, and 6.

A spring 30 in the bore I8 of the tubular plunger It serves to influence the solid plunger I9 outwards, as defined by the screw and slot connection 2|, 2|. Similarly a spring 3| intermediate the inner end of the -plunger Ill and the confronting face of the casing end 2 operates to normally influence the latch II outwards, whilethe extent .of such movement is limited by the shouldering 32 surrounding said'latch.

From the foregoing it will be clearly apparent that the respective plungers II, I8 being springinfluenced outwards in respect to the center post I5, or the door frames 42, whenever the car frontdoor I1 is opened the associated latch I I and lock plunger I! will both be released from active position in the respective engageable holes I4, I and On the other hand, as the rear-door 24 closes, the inner edge thereof on impacting the rounded end 22 of the plunger I! forces the the center post II inopposiengaged through the tion to the spring ll, or I! relative to the tubular plunger I0. Similarly. should the rear door 24 be closed, it will be equally well apparent that as theinner edge 52, of the front door ll closes, said edge will engage the inclined face I! of the latch II and thereby telescope the tubular plunger I0 relative to the plunger I9 in opposition to the spring II with concurrent movement of the rounded end 22 of the-latter plunger into rear door locking position under action of the spring ll. Furthermore, by

provision of free movement for the plunger I! 22, the rear door 24 can be closed at any time regardless of the position of the front door Il; however, as the tubular plunger I, compression forcing the plunger I9 into active rear-doorlocking position until such force is released by openwhereupon the spring SI reacts to restore the latch II to projected location relative to the II projects beyond the forand thereby.

threadedly 1 ward face of the center-post II, whereas the plunger end 22 is r tracted just inside the hole 25 of said post. Again, by making the casing I and hollow plunger II of an overall longitudinal dimension for accommodation within the narrowest type of center-post IS, with a dimension when the plunger I! is fully projected similarly appropriate for the widest type center-post II, it will be clearly evident that only one standard make is necessary as the plunger I9 can be easily cut-down, as hereinbefore explained, tossuit intermediate widths of such center-posts. Also by making the casing I and plunger lli cylindrical in cross-section, with the plunger I9 of round bar stock, the material and manufacturing costs of production are reduced to a minimum, while a complemental simplification of assembly and insential; whereas for purposes of installation all the few parts of direct-acting freely-operative for said flanged end with means for for projection through the aperture in the cytelescoping said plunger that is needed is to form the holes I4, 25, and fit in the pair of attaching screws be clearly evident that by making and assembling the improved locking devices as shown and described herein are productive of a unit with the relatively movable parts all assembled in one casing.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a locking device for opposedly swingable doors with an intervening post, the combination of a cylindrical casing having a centrally apertured wall at one end, and a surrounding flange at jointly attaching it and the tubular casing transversely within the post; a tubular plunger in the casing having a coaxial rectilinearly contoured latch projection within the circumferential confines of one end, said projection being movable through a corresponding section hole in the casing flanged end closure; a round-section solid locking mam-- ber slidable in the bore of the tubular plunger lindrical casing end wall; said locking member and tubular plunger latch projection having their outer extremities inclined, for sliding coaction with the respectively confronting door edges; spring means in mg the tubular plunger outwards; spring means in the tubular plunger similarly influencing the locking member outwards; and a pin engaged through the tubular plunger with projection into a longitudinal groove in the locking member to prevent relative rotary motion while permitting center post Ii; It is also both doors I1, 24 areopen a definite extent of relative axial movement.

. 2. The combination of claim 1, further characterized in that the cylindrical casing flange is in the form of an angle-section rim, a rectangular attaching plate having a central recess affords seating reception for said casing rim, a pair of diametrically opposed screws secure the casing rim in the plate recess'and another pair of similarly related screws secure the attaching plate within the hollow post.

JAMES w, SHANNON, pours M. mrrmwav. JAMES E, McKEE.

27; while it willedge engageable hollow I the other end; a closure the cylindrical casing influenc- 

